


All That Remains Is A Locket

by thatapostateboy



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-12
Updated: 2014-05-12
Packaged: 2018-01-24 13:05:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1606244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatapostateboy/pseuds/thatapostateboy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anders comforts Hawke after the death of Leandra and she reveals to him the sentimentality behind her mother's locket.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All That Remains Is A Locket

**Author's Note:**

> It always kind of bothered me that Hawke finds Leandra's locket in the killer's lair during 'All That Remains' and then nothing more was said about it, I was kind of hoping for it to be an item for Hawke to wear or y'know something.  
> So it inspired me to write this.

Anders walked into the main room where Hawke was sat in her armchair, hugging her knees up to her chest, staring into the fire. He’d overhead the conversation between her and her uncle but decided to wait until Gamlen left to go to her. He knelt in front of the chair, taking hold of her hands, “Nothing that happened today was your fault. There was nothing that could have been done.”

A sob broke through Hawke, her chest heaving, her head dipping, “Gamlen’s right. It’s all my fault. I should have been here… I should have protected her… I can’t keep anyone safe. I let Carver run off and get himself killed by that ogre. I wasn’t there to stop the Templars taking Bethany. I was too late to help Mother…” tears ran down her cheeks, “I can save the people of Kirkwall, but I have lost my family. All of it.”

She pulled her hands out of Anders’ and got up, taking the stairs two at a time and running into her room. She closed the door, and he could hear her sobbing from where he stood. He sighed, then started to make tea. He always made her tea when she was upset. He had done since Bethany was taken to the Circle.

He put everything onto a tray from the kitchen and carried it upstairs to her. He couldn’t hear her crying anymore and he wondered if she’d fallen asleep. He pushed the door open slowly, peeking into the room. She was curled up on the bed, sniffling quietly, looking at something in her hands. He sat on the edge of the bed, putting the tea try on the bedside table. He saw that she had her mother’s locket in her grasp, just running her thumb gently over the silver face.

“I know there’s nothing I can say that will change it,” he said quietly to her, “You were lucky to have her as long as you did… When the pain fades, that’s what will matter.”

“You still think mages should be free?” she asked bitterly, a tear slipping down her cheek as she sat up, the locket in her tight grasp.

“He was a madman,” he told her, “That’s what made him do it, not magic… I know you’re looking for someone to be angry at… If it helps, go ahead and take it out on me.”

She looked at him, and he saw her arm tense, most likely to hit him, but she let out a breath, leaning herself on him instead. He moved them so that they were both sat in the middle of the bed, the bed curtains drawn and the tray of tea in between them. He told her that she should do whatever she needed to do to make herself feel better, if she needed to cry, he would be there to hold her, if she wanted to talk, he would be there to listen, and if she just wanted to sit there, holding her mother’s necklace, then he would be stay with her so that she wasn’t alone.

It was a while later before she finally spoke.

“She’s had this locket since before I was born,” she told him, “I think father got it for her… it’s not that well made, and you can tell it’s cheap silver, but she cherished it… Bethany and I used to fight like crazy over who would get it when mother died… We could never decide. Bethany was more a one for jewellery and sentimental value, but I was the oldest, and Mother always wanted the oldest to have it… Funny now… Such a little thing, wouldn’t even get me a silver on a good day in the market… Anders, I… I want you to have it.”

Both his eyebrows rose, “Hawke…. I… I can’t take that off of you…. It’s your mother’s…”

“I can’t wear it,” she told him, “I wouldn’t feel right… I just can’t… And it would be taken from Bethany in the Circle… You’re the only person I trust with it… Would you have it… for me? I don’t want it growing dusty in some drawer… You… You’re the only family I have left now. I see my sister once every two months if I’m lucky and I can bribe a Templar, and Gamlen might not ever speak to me again…  _Please,”_ she whispered.

“Okay,” he said quietly, “But there’s something I want you to have as well.” He removed the pendant from around his neck and they traded. “It’s something they give you when you join the Wardens… a reminder of the sacrifice of those who don’t survive the Joining… I never took it off, not even when I left… I’ll keep your mother’s locket safe, if you keep my pendant safe… And if you ever change your mind about your mother’s locket, we can swap them back… Sound like a deal?”

She nodded, slipping it around her neck and tucking it under her shirt. She crawled closer to him and just put her arms around him, holding on tight to him. She buried her face in his shoulder and started to sob. He put his arms around her, cradling her close to him.

“I’m here,” he murmured, kissing her hair.

Her sobbing was muffled by his clothing, and after a while, she quietened down, but still clung to him. She fell asleep curled up in his embrace, the events of the day leaving her physically and emotionally drained. He held her, lying back a little on the bed, but kept his arms around her. He started to drift off to sleep, not wanting to leave her alone tonight. He would be here for her, no matter what.


End file.
